Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 21
17 When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly. 18 The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. 19 After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. 21 But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. 22 What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.
17 When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly. 18 The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. 19 After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, “You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. 21 But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. 22 What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Commentary:
21:17–26 Paul Participates in a Nazirite Ceremony. When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, the Christians rejoiced over the success of his Gentile mission but expressed concern over rumors that he was teaching Jews to abandon their ancestral laws and customs. To disprove the rumors, they asked Paul to participate publicly in a Nazirite vow, as specified in OT law (Num. 6:1–21). (See also note on Acts 21:23.)
21:18 all the elders were present. Apparently leadership of the church at Jerusalem now rested primarily with these “elders.” It seems that James himself was counted as an apostle (see 15:13–21; 1 Cor. 15:7–9; Gal. 1:19; 2:9), but the text does not say whether other apostles still remained in Jerusalem or if they had departed on other missionary activities (see note on Acts 12:17). In light of 1:8, the latter is likely.
21:21 not to circumcise. Circumcision is singled out because it was considered the badge of God’s covenant with the Jews. The rumor was false; Paul did not object to Jewish believers voluntarily following OT ceremonial laws (see 16:3; 1 Cor. 7:18–19).
21:18 all the elders were present. Apparently leadership of the church at Jerusalem now rested primarily with these “elders.” It seems that James himself was counted as an apostle (see 15:13–21; 1 Cor. 15:7–9; Gal. 1:19; 2:9), but the text does not say whether other apostles still remained in Jerusalem or if they had departed on other missionary activities (see note on Acts 12:17). In light of 1:8, the latter is likely.
21:21 not to circumcise. Circumcision is singled out because it was considered the badge of God’s covenant with the Jews. The rumor was false; Paul did not object to Jewish believers voluntarily following OT ceremonial laws (see 16:3; 1 Cor. 7:18–19).
Questions:
- The first takeaway on Sunday was that the DEVIL is in the DIVISION. This is one of the enemies most effective weapons in the church. In a culture that is driven by evil, the god of this world (Satan) will ALWAYS push us towards greater divides. He loves to separate us by race, religion and politics. He loves to demonize the other side so that we assume the worst about everyone. He is an expert at fueling hate. When you look at your life and politics, have you fallen into this trap? Have you allowed the culture around you to push you towards one extreme or the other?
- Today is election day! The nation will be more divided than ever in the next few days. As you do your duty and make your voice heard, how can you make sure you contribute to unity in your circles of influence? How can you make sure you aren't fueling the hate and vitriol?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would be more aware of division, especially among believers.
- That you would do your part to bring peace and unity.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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